Prehistory:Prehistory:Beginning of FarmingBeginning of Farming

Coach ParrishCoach Parrish

Chapter 1, Section 2Chapter 1, Section 2

Oxford Middle SchoolOxford Middle School

Earliest Human CultureEarliest Human Culture

Stone AgeStone Age – time period during which – time period during which early humans made lasting tools and early humans made lasting tools and weapons mainly from stone.weapons mainly from stone.

Sometimes, tools and weapons were Sometimes, tools and weapons were made from wood or animal bones.made from wood or animal bones.

The Stone Age ended when people The Stone Age ended when people began using metal such as copper for began using metal such as copper for tools and weapons.tools and weapons.

Fire!Fire!

Why was fire important?Why was fire important?

1.1. Allowed people to move into colder Allowed people to move into colder climatesclimates

2.2. Warded off dangerous animalsWarded off dangerous animals

3.3. Used for cooking foods and for staying Used for cooking foods and for staying warmwarm

Settling New AreasSettling New Areas

Once humans had better tools and Once humans had better tools and fire, they began to leave their fire, they began to leave their homes.homes.

NomadsNomads – people who have no – people who have no settled home.settled home.

Nomads moved until they found Nomads moved until they found food. Once the food was gone, they food. Once the food was gone, they moved on.moved on.

The Beginning of FarmingThe Beginning of Farming

Farming began when people in Farming began when people in Southwest Asia learned how to plant Southwest Asia learned how to plant wild grass seed and other vegetables.wild grass seed and other vegetables.

Farming caused people to enter the New Farming caused people to enter the New Stone Age.Stone Age.

New Stone AgeNew Stone Age – when people began – when people began growing their own food.growing their own food.

Spread of AgricultureSpread of Agriculture

Early FarmersEarly Farmers

In most societies, women were In most societies, women were responsible for gathering plants and responsible for gathering plants and seed.seed.

Men were responsible for the hunting.Men were responsible for the hunting.

Farming Farming caused the nomadic way of caused the nomadic way of life to end.life to end.

Farming Around the WorldFarming Around the World

FertileFertile – rich in the substances that – rich in the substances that plants need to grow.plants need to grow.

Who planted what first?Who planted what first?

1.1. Chinese farmers – first to plant rice.Chinese farmers – first to plant rice.

2.2. Central American farmers – first to Central American farmers – first to grow corn, beans, and squash.grow corn, beans, and squash.

Terrace FarmingTerrace Farming

Plant SelectionPlant Selection

Plants looked very differently than Plants looked very differently than they do now.they do now.

People chose the biggest, best-People chose the biggest, best-tasting crops to plant. In doing so, tasting crops to plant. In doing so, they began to domesticate plants.they began to domesticate plants.

DomesticateDomesticate – adapt wild plants for – adapt wild plants for human use. human use.

Raising AnimalsRaising Animals

During the New Stone Age, people During the New Stone Age, people began to tame or domesticate wild began to tame or domesticate wild animals.animals.

Dogs were the first animal to be Dogs were the first animal to be domesticated. Eventually camels, domesticated. Eventually camels, horses, and donkeys were tamed to horses, and donkeys were tamed to transport goods.transport goods.

Camels Used for TransportCamels Used for Transport

Challenge of DomesticationChallenge of Domestication

Throughout history, many types of Throughout history, many types of animals have failed to be animals have failed to be domesticated. Most large species domesticated. Most large species have never been tamed. WHY??have never been tamed. WHY??

Some exceptions:Some exceptions:1.1. India – tamed elephants for battleIndia – tamed elephants for battle2.2. Assyrians and Egyptians – tamed Assyrians and Egyptians – tamed

cheetahs for huntingcheetahs for hunting

Indian elephants in battleIndian elephants in battle